Boston-based singer-songwriter Abi Nav weaves stories with his songs. He grew up writing songs to navigate turbulent times, and uses music to give hope to others. With his raw, self-aware lyrics and ability to write unforgettable melodies, Abi Nav is quickly establishing himself as a visionary in the pop-rock music scene.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Abi Nav about the latest music, technology, surviving lock downs and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and how do You describe your style of music?
I was born in New Jersey, and raised partly in NJ and New Delhi, India. I live in Boston now. I guess I’m basically from all over the place. My music is best described as John Mayer meets Radiohead meets Pink Floyd. I like Mayer’s songwriting sensibilities, Radiohead’s ability to create soundscapes and Pink Floyd’s emotion in their writing. My failure to emulate all of these incredible musicians gives me my own sound, I guess.
How did you get here? As in, what inspired or motivated you to take on this journey through music and the music biz?
Growing up, I had a lot to deal with, and for me music started as a coping mechanism. I used to lock myself up in my room with my guitar and play for hours on end. I would also totally be lying if I didn’t tell you the reason I first picked up the guitar was because of this girl I liked and wanted to impress back in middle school. It’s kind of funny that I never got the girl, and instead got my entire life in music.
How does your latest project compare/contrast with your previous release(s)? Were you setting out to accomplish anything specific, follow a specific theme, or explore different styles of creation?
My new song “Olivia” is the most authentic combination of all of my influences as an artist; it’s the closest I’ve gotten to nailing the sound I’m going for among everything I’ve released so far. It’s a song I wrote to cope with loneliness, and I think my goal with this one was just to say this: We’ve all felt lonely at some point, and maybe if we’re together in our loneliness, we’re never truly alone, you know?
Name the biggest challenge you faced as a creative during these unprecedented? How did you adapt? How have you kept the creative fires burning during all this?
The biggest challenge was definitely being very uninspired. I remember there was this period of about 7 months where I didn’t write a single song. I still played some guitar and saved some of my ideas I liked as voice memos, but I was largely uninspired. I think it was really important for me to take a little bit of a break and catch my breath. I stopped expecting myself to be productive every single day, and stopped stressing about it. Olivia was actually the first song I wrote as soon as I felt inspired, and I think sometimes we should really just give ourselves the time we need to make something beautiful, and to do it right.
What was the last song you listened to?
I’ve been listening to this song called “Famous” by Hailaker. It’s honestly been on repeat for weeks, such a beautiful tune.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? 8-tracks? Cassettes? CDs? MP3s? Streaming platforms?
Vinyl all the way. There’s just something oddly comforting about putting vinyl into your record player and watching it spin. I love it.
Where is the best place to connect with you and follow your journey?
You can follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abinavmusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3oRQ8kmys6lXb6x063FJUy?si=WiYJUdlRQR6128DCx64B7g
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA9qc_yQIZ9UqezcqLtg67A
and my Website: https://www.abi-nav.com
You’ll now probably know everything about me haha.
I really appreciate Your time. Anything else before we sign off?
Thank you so much for having me! I really appreciate the thought provoking questions. I’m really excited for everyone to hear Olivia! Lots more on the way 🙂
